Tool for aligning t-bar support members

ABSTRACT

An asymmetrical tool having orthogonally disposed grooves for aligning, and magnetically securing to T-bar suspended ceiling members.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/184,886 filed May 6, 2021 and Canadian Patent Application No. 3,117,299 filed May 6, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD

This invention relates to the placement of intersecting T-bar longitudinal members and ensures that they are orthogonally disposed when installed by craftsmen and the like.

BACKGROUND

A common form of surface finish for ceilings, especially within commercial construction is the “dropped ceiling.” With a dropped ceiling a lattice of T-bars is suspended at a height desired for the ceiling. Ceiling tiles are provided which have a size and shape matching gaps in this lattice of T-bars. These ceiling tiles are placed within these gaps to fill these gaps between the T-bars. The T-bars generally have a shape with a vertically extending spine portion and a horizontally extending rest shelf so that the T-bar is generally in the form of an upside down “T.”

When installing T-bar members to create a suspended ceiling lattice, installers typically “eye-ball” the members after forming a square and then use a tape measure to measure the diagonals to determine if they are the same length. Manual adjustments are made if necessary to equalize the two measurements.

Speed squares, sometimes known as framing squares or rafter squares are used for a variety of tasks by carpenters, electricians, plumbers and are often used by T-bar installers installing T-bar suspended ceiling members.

Speed squares are often used together with chalk lines to align intersecting T-bar sections orthogonally.

The process of installing T-bar with these tools in addition to using a tape measure to measure diagonals is tedious and time-consuming and prone to error.

This disclosure provides a tool that allows the installer to easily and relatively effortlessly install a T-bar suspended ceiling with one alignment tool which allows long or short lengths to be installed.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide an improved tool for easily constructing a T-bar ceiling with a single alignment tool without the requirement of measuring diagonals and without the requirement of human judgment to determine if two intersecting length of T-bar are square.

In accordance with this disclosure a tool for orthogonally positioning two lengths of T-bar, is provided, comprising:

a first guide having longitudinal axis of length L₁ and having a complementary recess having a width W for receiving a portion of a length of T-bar and for coupling to the T-bar, the first guide including a first arm having a length of at least 0.6 (L₁−M₁), a mid-section having a length M₁ and a second arm having a length of at most 0.4 (L₁−M₁);

a second guide having a longitudinal axis of length L₂ and having a complementary recess of width W for receiving another portion of a length of T-bar and for coupling to the T-bar, the second guide including a first arm having a length of at least 0.6 (L₂−M₂), a mid-section having a length M₂ and a second arm having a length of at most 0.4 (L₂−M₂), wherein the longitudinal axis of the first guide and the longitudinal axis of the second guide intersect at right angles, wherein L₁>L₂, and;

a plurality of magnets within the complementary recess of at least one of the first and second guides to magnetically couple to the T-bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool for aligning T-bar.

FIG. 2 is a preferred embodiment of a tool in accordance with this invention for aligning T-bar.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the tool shown in FIG. 2 for aligning T-bar

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the tool shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a view of the tool shown in FIG. 2 being installed on two intersecting lengths of T-bar.

FIG. 6A is a view of an alternative embodiment of the tool shown in FIG. 2

FIG. 6B is a view of an alternative embodiment of the tool shown in FIG. 6A

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a drawing of a tool 10 that provides very limited use on very short lengths of T-bar. The drawback of this tool 10 is that it does not have adequate length on any of its arms to securely, temporarily, hold a long length of T-bar at an angle of 90 degrees. This leads to errors and does not repeatedly result in a perfectly square ceiling grid required for receiving square or rectangular ceiling tiles. If the grid is not square, the 4×4″ or 4×8″ tiles will not fit within the nearly square or rectangle frame of T-bar.

To overcome these limitations a tool 100 in accordance with a preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 2 made of rigid lightweight plastic. The tool 100 has arms of different lengths allowing the installer to use the tool in a variety of positions depending on the T-bar lengths to be squared and their position relative to perimeter walls.

Arms 102 and 108 extend from the centre mid-section of the tool 100 and provide a first guide having a groove 112. Arms 104 and 106 provide a second guide having a groove 114. The grooves are either 9/16″ or 15/16″ in width, depending upon the T-bar width to be installed. Right angles can be formed using length 108 and 106, 106 and 102, 102 and 104, and 104 and 108. In all instances it is preferred to use the two longest arms possible to form a right angle between two lengths of T-bar, however it is not always possible to use the longest two orthogonal arms of the tool. This can only be done if there is adequate space to accommodate the tool. For example, when two lengths to be squared are close to wall it may be necessary to use the shortest length of arm 104 and 108 or alternatively arm 104 and 102 depending on the available space that will accommodate the tool. In operation the tool 100 need only be rotated by the operator to select one of four orientations that will provide the optimal result. Each of the lengths of the tool has a complementary recess 112, 114 formed therein to just accommodate the width of a length of T-bar without excess width. Flush-fit magnets 110 a, 110 b, 110 c and 110 d are provided along the first and second guides within each complementary recess to securely hold the tool to the T-bar when the tool is inserted into two lengths of T-bar to be squared. The magnetic attraction between the magnets and the ferromagnetic steel T-bar is enough force to securely hold the T-bar but is weak enough to easily remove the tool from the T-bar by gently pulling the tool off. The magnets 110 a, 110 b, 110 c and 110 d are arranged on each of the tools manufactured so that their poles are all facing in a same direction on each tool manufactured so that they conveniently stack upon one another with enough magnetic attraction to one another to be contained in a tight stack. For example if the tools are stacked facing in a same direction with their upper faces up and grooved faced down the south poles of the permanent magnets of an upper tool in a stack are attracted to the north facing poles of the permanent magnets of the tool below.

In our preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the lengths of the arms of the tool 100 are shown. The first guide has a length L₁=a=18.25″ is comprised of an arm of length f=11.75″ and arm e=4.75″ and a mid-section adjoining the two arms of 1.75″, the width of the arm. Both arms joined by the mid-section are one continuous length of plastic with no division or physical breaks. The second guide has a length L₂=b=11.75″ is comprised of an arm of length d=6.25″ and arm c=3.75″ and a centre section adjoining the two arms of 1.75″, the width of the arm. Both arms joined by the center section are one continuous length of plastic with no division or physical breaks. The tool 100 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is made of a single piece of plastic that is cut into the shape shown having the groove cut out using a computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine. We believe the minimum required length for the longest arm is 8.5″ and the minimum required length for the next longest arm at right angles to the longest arm must be 5.5″ for the tool to adequately square standard lengths of T-bar.

In order to make the tool more compact, the arms or portions of the arms can be hinged so that they fold. Hinges 114 of the tool 100 are shown in FIG. 4. An alternative embodiment is shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B where the tool has a hub 300 with magnets 122 and arms 102, 104, 106 and 108 which slide into the hub 300. In FIG. 6B magnets 124 engage magnets on the underside of the arms that slide in.

In operation, the tool is shown in FIG. 5 from the bottom looking upward at the T-bar being installed. The tool 100 is put into two flat finished faces of the T-bar facing downward so that a 90 degree angle is formed between two intersecting lengths. The T-bar automatically squares the two lengths and holds them in the desired orientation. Using the tool 100 results in a squared grid and provides the installer with confidence that joints secured by the tool will be orthogonal obviating the use of a measuring tape to measure diagonals.

In an open area where perimeter wall is a distance away, the installer can orient the tool with the longer length of T-bar running along the longer length of the tool 100 across the groove, however when close to a wall, where the tool must fit into smaller spaces, the tool can be oriented by simply rotating it so that the shorter end 104 or 110 faces the perimeter wall. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A tool for orthogonally positioning two lengths of T-bar, comprising: a first guide having longitudinal axis of length L₁ and having a complementary recess having a width W for receiving a portion of a length of T-bar and for coupling to the T-bar, the first guide including a first arm having a length of at least 0.6 (L₁−M₁), a mid-section having a length M₁ and a second arm having a length of at most 0.4 (L₁−M₁); a second guide having a longitudinal axis of length L₂ and having a complementary recess of width W for receiving another portion of a length of T-bar and for coupling to the T-bar, the second guide including a first arm having a length of at least 0.6 (L₂−M₂), a mid-section having a length M₂ and a second arm having a length of at most 0.4 (L₂−M₂), wherein the longitudinal axis of the first guide and the longitudinal axis of the second guide intersect at right angles, wherein L₁>L₂, and; a plurality of magnets within the complementary recess of at least one of the first and second guides to magnetically couple to the T-bar.
 2. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein L₁>13″ and L₂>10″.
 3. A tool as defined in claim 1, wherein M₁=M₂.
 4. A tool as defined in claim 2 wherein the first guide and the second guide include magnets.
 5. A tool as defined in claim 3 wherein L₁≥17″ and L₂≥11″.
 6. A tool as defined in claim 3 formed of a unitary piece of plastic.
 7. A tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second length each include a plurality of magnets level with or below a T-bar receiving face of the complementary recess.
 8. A tool as defined in claim claim 6 wherein the first and second length each include a plurality of magnets level with or below a T-bar receiving face of the complementary recess.
 9. A tool as defined in claim 5 wherein the complementary recess of the first guide and the complementary recess of the second guide have a common region.
 10. A tool as defined in claim 5, wherein the mid-section of the first guide and the mid-section of the second guide is a common region and wherein two arms of the first guide and the two arms of the second guide securely slide into the mid-section.
 11. A tool as defined in claim 5 wherein the two arms of the first guide and two arms of the second guide are foldable about the mid-section.
 12. A plurality of tools as defined in claim 1 wherein each of the tools have at least four magnets and wherein the at least four magnets are located in a same location on each of the tools and wherein the polarity of the magnets on each tool is oriented so that the plurality of tools magnetically couple together when stacked front to back forming a uniform stack. 